Loading attachment for tractors



0, 1929. H. F. L ESSMANN 1,725,201

LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR I RACTORS Original Fil ed Feb. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 22 ELM/MW x Aug. 20, 1929. H. F. LESSMANN LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Original Filed Feb. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v H .18 L JESS/[ANN Aug. 20, 1929. H. F. LESSMANN LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Original Filed Feb. 5, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 k flaw/250i" JLFLESSMAIUY 4 Sheets-Sheet Aug. 20, 1929. H. F. LESSMANN I LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Original Filed Feb. 5,

m w N mx F R MM v. 7 3 w Z NW 0 hm Y Q MM,

Patented Aug. 20,, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' HERBERT a LESSMANN, or DES Homes, IOWA.

LOADING ATTACHMENT FOR TRAC'FORS.

Application filed February 3, 1925, Serial No. 85,666. Renewed July 18, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in hoisting and loading devices and more particularly to a simple and inexpensive attachment for tractors, whereby the latter may carry a loading scoop or the like and operate the same by power. 1

A further object is to provide an attachment of the character set forth which is quickly applicable to and removable from the well known McCormick-Deering tractor without the necessity of making any extensive alterations in the tractor construction, novel provision being made whereby the operating mechanism for the loading scoop,

fork or the like, is driven from the usual power take-oil shaft of the tractor.

. A still further object is to provide a loading attachment of the character described which. may be easily operated by the person driving the tractor, all controls being located within easy reach of the drivers seat.

Another object is to provide improved and novel means for mounting the loader frame 'on the tractor.

Yetanother object is to make novel provision for holding the loading scoop or the like against tilting until the load is raised to the required point and for then permitting it to dump.

A still further object is to provide improved means for returning the scoop to leading position after it has been dumped and the lifting arms are again lowered- \Vit-h these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side-elevation showing my improved attachment mounted on a Mo- Cormick-Deering tractor.

Figure 2 is an opposite side elevation of the same.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism by which power is taken from the power-takeoff shaft of the tractor.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the top plate which has been removed from the parts shown in Figure 3. I

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism takenfrom a different angle than Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing portions of the scoop and its latching and releasing means.

Figure 7 is a front view, partly in section, showing the forward part of the loading frame and its attachment to the tractor.

Figure 8 is a view, partly in section on the line 8-8 of Figure 1, showing the means 4 for attaching the central portion of the loading frame to the tractor.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have illustrated the preferred form of my attachment, which. form has been successfully constructed and operated, but it will be understood that the several improvements are not restricted to the exact details disclosed. l urthermore, although I have shown the machine equipped with a scoop, it will be understood that a platform, fork or other equivalent device may be substituted for said scoop to permit use of the loading at-' tachmcnt for any desired purpose. Hence, the word scoop appearing hereinafter is to be construed accordingly.

The loading attachment includes .a main base frame which is adapted to be detachably secured to a tractor for the purpose of carrying all parts of the hoisting mechanism and its operating means. In the present showing this frame isdesigncd for use upon a. McCormick-Deming tractor, but it might be shaped and adapted for application to other machines. In the construction, here illustrated, the frarneincludes a pair of side bars 10, 10 integrally connected'at their forward ends by a cross-bar 11, extending across the front of the tractor, said side bars being offset upwardly between their rear and forward ends to clear the forward .wheels of the tractor. Posts 12, 12 are spaced apart at the forward end of the machlne and-preferably are formed of channel bars opening inwardly and being notched on their inner faces to receive forward port1ons ofthe s1debars10, 10, to which they are secured as by means of screws. or bolts 13. The posts12, 12 extend above and below the plane of the side bars 10, 10 and their lower ends are connected. by a cross member 14 which is secured by a bolt 15 at its center to a member 16 proyacting forwardly from the front axle of the tractor. tions of the posts 12, 12 are connected by Upper porcrossed braces 17, which occupy a place just in front of the radiator of the tractor. The upper ends of the posts 12, 12 are also pro vided with braces 18, 18 which extend rearwardly and downwardly to intermediate portions of the side bars 10, 10. Brackets l9 and 20 are mounted on opposite sides of the rear portion of the motor of the tractor,

and each of. saidbrackets is formed at its lower endwith an inward projection 21 adapted to rest on the flanged transmission case cover 22 and be secured thereto by bolts 23 which area trifle longer than and are substituted for the bolts which are ordinarily employed to secure said cover to the case 24.

On their outer faces the brackets 19 and 20 are formed with longitudinally channeled seats 25 to receive intermediate portions of the side bars land which are secured theretoby bolts 31. The side bars 10, 10 extend beyond the brackets 19 and and are provided at their rear ends with any suitable means for detachably connecting to the rear axle 27 of the tractor. In this instance the bars 10, 10 are provided at their" rear ends with half-bearings 28 (Fig. 2-) to which are bolted or otherwise secured .coopcrating half-bearings 29, said half-bearings embracing the axle 27. A yoke 30 embraces the crank case 24 and .has its ends secured against the inner faces of the brackets 19 and 20 by the bolts 31, and a set screw 32 is threaded through the central portion of the yoke and engages the rear end of the radius rod 33 of the tractor near its point of attachment to the crank case. By tightening the set screw 32 the yok'ef30 may be tightened around the crank case to assist in holding the base frame securely in position on the tractor.

A pair of upwardly swinging scoop arms 34 and 35 are pivoted at their rear ends on the bolts 31, which bolts are shouldered as shown in Figure 8 to permit free pivotal movement and. at the same time securely clamp the other members which they engage. The numeral 36 designates a scoop earned by the forward ends of the arms 34 and 35 and-in the present showing, this scoop is pivoted at 37 on a pair of substantially L-shaped scoop rests 38, the latter being in turn pivoted. at 39 to the arms 34 and 35. A pair of stabilizing links 40 and 41 are provided, which are pivoted'at'th eir rear ends to ears 42 formed on 'and extending forwardly of the brackets 19, and 20, whereby the pivots 43 of said links are located above and forwardly of the pivots of the lifting arms. It thus follows that when the arms 34 and 35 are raised and lowered, the stabi lizin links 40 and 41, which are substantially parallel therewith, serve to always retain the scooprests 38 in such position as to prevent undesirable tilting of the scoop 36 and,

in factreally serve tosomewhat elevate the forward end of thescoop as it is raised, owing to the fact that the links are shorter than the arms and their pivots 43 arranged forwardl of the vertical plane of the pivots 31 of sai arms.

The pivots 39 of the scoop to the scooprests constitute a transversely extending bar as shown in Figure 6, and to this bar arefixed cables 44 and 45 which are extended upwardly and over cable guides 46'carrie'd at the upper ends of the posts 12 by a shaft or spindle 47. The cables 44 and 45 thence extend rearwardly anddownwardly and are adapted to be wound on drums 48 and 49 fixed to a shaft 50 journaled in the brackets 19 and 20. The shaft 50 is adapted to be driven from the power take-off shaft 51 of the tractor, by means about tobe described,

for the purpose of raising the lifting arms and the scoop through draft on the cables 44 and 45. A counter shaft 52 is journaled' in bearings 53 carried bythe brackets 19 and 20 andis arranged transversely of the mechanism and above the take-off shaft 51. to which it is operatively connected by sprocket gearing 54, in such manner as to renary manner and adapted to be compressed by a cone 58 slidably mounted and adapted to be operated by a bell-crank lever 59, link 60 and hand lever 61. The cone engages fingers 62 pivoted on a frame 63 and when so moved the fingers apply pressure to the disks to cause a frictional engagement to clutch the two members of the shaft together. Similar braking means is provided to slackenthe descent of the scoop afterit' has been dumped and the disk clutch means released, said braking means including a drum 64 loosely mounted on the follower portion of the countershaft 52 and suitably heldagainst rotation, and containing a plurality of disks 65 feathered to the shaft and adapted to be compressed within the drum to retardor preventthe rotation of the shaft. The operatingmeans in this instance is a cone 66 opposite to the cone 58 and fixed pivoted on a frame 68 for engagement with the disks 65. Thus both the clutch and brake have a common operating lever means, movable in one direction to. apply the clutch and in the-opposite direction to apply the brake. w

. To normally hold the scoop against dumpthereto and adapted to engage fingers 67- latches'zfi9 which tween' their ends provided with a flexible,

. ing, but .to. permit it-to-tilt connecting the lower rests 38 at forwardly and dump when '-,desired,- ls rovide apair of are *pre erably pivotedbeto-the upper ends of the scoop rests 38 to engage Y the back-of thescoopj36.- Coil springs preferably are usedxto apply thelatches 69, ends of said -latches and on the lifting arms.

upwardly turned ends pivoted to the scoop the same pivots 72 which connect the stabilizing arms or links 40 and 41 there- 1 s ends on the pivot 43 of the rear end of the link 40. he lower end of the lever is pivotally connected to a reciprocating rod 76 slidable in a bearing its rear end a foot member 78 by a footof the operator of the tractor.

ressure upon the rod 76 through thepedal 78 causes an oscillation of the lever- 75 and rearward draft upon the the latclrrelea-sing bar 71- forwardly against 69, thereb force of gravity.

For again righting the scoop after it has been dumped, I make novel provision shown particularly in Figure 1, the means for this purpose operating automatically as the lifting arms and members connected therewith are returned to position forloading. The numeral 79 designates a lever fulcrumed at its lower end on the lifting arm 35 at a point somewhat to the rear of the pivot 39 of the scoop rest. A crooked link 80 is pivoted at to a point rearwardly on the adjacent stabi- 7 release of draft on including a relatively the latches and has 4 -link 74, which rocksto the altered positions a of the members -Wl1lCh are pivotally connected, and; then" the --spring 83 'acts throu h the to return the'scoo'p a snap action which causes the v to again engage the scoop and liold it position for another The upper ends of the are connected -on and 'bolte and conveniently located from the drivers seat of the tractor.

' to closed filling operation. rigidly by a plate 85 mounted d hem, which plate also the apparatus are simple for manipulation Also that the attachment is easilyapplied and requires no cl ianging of the tractor mechamsm or frame. 7

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a tractor'having a transmission case with a cover, and a transverse p0 receiving the tween and connected at tachably to th scoop carried lif ends of said I wound on said drum carried by wer take-off shaft, of a pair and rising from. the

the tractor therebetheir rear ends deofsaid tract-or, said body of e rear axle by the forward ting arms, and cables fixed to the'forward ifting arms and'adapted to be shaft.

he combination with a tractor having a. transverse-power take-ofi shaft, of a pair of brackets carried by and rising from the tractor frame, a pair of ranged on opp osite sides and having side frame-bars arof the tractor body detachable connections at their rear endsto the rear axle of the tractor,

hoisting mechanism carried by said side frame bars, a brackets and with said power take-ofi j ournaled in gearing connection with countershaft journaled in said having a' gearing connection shaft, a drum shaft sa-id brackets and having a position latches said countershaft,

rackets'19and 20 cables fixed to said hoisting mechanism-and.

and extending under and in emb on said drum shaft, ends to said brackets tion to the crankcase of the tractor.

3. The coinb a transverse p fixed to and tractor, side sides of nism carried b a kets and h rising from" side I frame bars mounted on opposite the tractor ination with a tractor having ower take-off shaft, of brackets body hoisting mechaby saidlside frame bars and aving operative connections racing relaportions of the cured to the tractor and havin with said power take-off shaft, a yoke fixed at its ends to said brackets and extending under and in bracing relations with the crank case of the tractor, and a set screw threaded in the central portion of said yoke and adapted for engagement with a' portion of the tractor body.

4. A hoisting mechanism comprising a.

frame, a vertically swinging lifting arm pivoted thereon, a pivoted scoop carried by the free end of said arm, releasable means for normally holding said scoop from dumping, a lever fulcrumed' to said arm adjacent said scoop, a tension means connected with for normally holding said scoop from dumpifig, a lev'er fulcrumed to said arm adjacent saids'coop, a tension means connected with said lever, and a link pivotedrat one end to the scoop and at its other end having a sliding pivotal connection with said lever, the pivot of the link to said scoop adapted to move past the pivot of the scoop to its support when the scoop is dumped to store power in said tension means, said tension means acting automatically to restore said scoop to its normal position as said lifting arm is lowered.

6. In combination with a driving engine thereon, a U-shaped main frame having its side bars positioned along the sides of the tractor and having its connecting member positioned along the front of the tractor, the free ends of said side bars being connected to the tractor, and members mounted upon said tractor at the rear of the driving engine and having inwardly extending part-s adapted to be se- 6 parts formed with longitudinally channeled seats to receive the side bars of the main frame.

7. In combination with a tractor having a driving engine therconi'a main frame having tractor having a its side bars positioned along the sides of the.

tractor and having a connecting bar secured to the forwardends of the side bars and extending across the front of the tractor, means for connecting the rear ends of the side bars to the axle of thetraetor, and members positioned upon the tractor rearwardly of the driving engine and having on their outer faces longitudinally extending recesses adapted to receive portions of the side bars. 8. In combination with a tractor having a driving'engine thereon, a main frame having side bars positioned along the sides of ing side bars mounted at a plurality of points upon said tractor and a support resting upon the tractor rearwardly of the driving engine and having parts adapted to engage portions of the side bars and be secured thereto whereby the frame is supported be tween its forward and rear ends upon the tractor by said support and said side bars are braced between their ends against movement towards each other and a boom piv0t ally connected to the side members a-ta point' where the strain of the boom on the side barswill be transmitted to the support.

10. In combination with a tractor having a driving engine thereon, a main frame mounted at a plurality of points upon said tractor and a support resting upon the tractor rearwardly of the driving engine and having parts adapted to engage portions of the main frame and be secured thereto whereby the frame is supported between its forward and rear ends upon the tractor by said support, a boom, means for pivot-ally mounting said boom on said frame, said means serving to connect said frame with said support.

11. In combination with atIaCtOr having a driving engine thereon, a main frame having side bars mounted at a plurality of points upon said tractor and a support resting upon the tractor rearwardly of the driving engine and having parts adapted to engage portions of the side bars and be seecured thereto whereby the frame is supported between its forward and rear ends upon the tractor by said support and said side bars are braced between their ends against movement towards each other and a boom pivotally connected to the side members at a point where the strain of the boom on the side bars will be transmitted to the support,

said main frame having a cross bar adapted to extend in front of the tractor and be socured to said side bars.

12. In combination with a tractor having a driving engine thereon, a main frame mounted at a plurality of points upon said tractor and a supportresting upon the tractor rearwardly of the driving engine and having parts adapted to be. positioned adjacent the main frame and means of connection therebetween wherebyt-he frame is supported between its forward and rear ends upon the tractor by said support, a boom, means for pivotally mounting said boom on said frame at a point where the strain of said boom will be transmitted to the connection between the frame and the support.

13. In combination with a tractor having a driving engine thereon, a main frame mounted at a plurality of points upon said tractor and a support resting upon the trac-' tor rearwardly of the driving engine and having parts adapted to engage portions of the main frame and be secured thereto whereby the frame is supported between its forward and rear ends upon the tractor by said support, a boom, means for. pivotally mounting said boom on said frame, at a point where the strain of said boom on the frame will be directly transmitted to said support, a hoisting mechanism upon said support, means for operatively connecting said hoisting mechanism with the driving engine of said tractor and cables for connecting said hoisting mechanism with said boom.

14. In combination with a tractor having a driving engine thereon, a main frame mounted at a plurality of 'points upon said tractor and a support resting upon the tractor rearwardly of the driving engine and having parts adapted to engage portions of the main frame and be secured thereto by means of shouldered bolts, whereby the frame is supported between its forward and rear ends upon the tractor by said support, enlarged portions of said bolts beyond the shoulders thereof forming a pivotal connection for a crane boom.

frame by'means of shouldered bolts having the shoulders thereof engaging said side bars, a crane boom pivoted on said main frame, the enlarged portions of said bolts beyond the shoulders thereof providing pivots for said boom, a hoisting mechanism mounted on said support operable from said englne and having operative connection with said boom for causing its pivotal movement on said bolts.

16. In combination with a tractor. having a driving engine thereon, a U-shaped main,

frame having its side bars positioned along the sides of the tractor and having its connecting member positioned along the front of the tractor, and-members bolted to the frame of the tractor at the rear of the driving engine and extending outwardly from the transmission case and secured to the side bars of the main frame for supporting the latter relative to the tractor.

17. In combination with a tractor having a driving engine thereon, a U-shaped main frame having its side bars positioned along the sides of the tractor and connected thereto adjacent their rear ends, said main frame having its connecting member positioned along the front of the tractor, an upright frame connected to the front of the tractor and to the side bars of the main frame, and

members mounted on the frame of the tractor at the rear of the driving engine and secured to the. side bars of the main frame for supporting the latter intermediate its ends relative to the tractor.

18. A hoisting attachment for tractors comprising a bridge-like structure adapted :to span and to be fastened down upon the transmission case of the tractor and including side brackets, a hoist shaft journaled in said brackets and operatively connected to the power plant of the tractor, and a boom pivotally attached to said brackets and projecting forwardly of the tractor and operatively connected with said shaft.

19. The combination with a tractor having an engine, transmission mechanism, a housing therefor, and a power take-off shaft as- 

